Devices have been provided in the past for assisting to introduce the endotracheal tube past the vocal cords into the trachea. One such device was a "stylette type" introducer. The stylette introducer was of small diameter such as a wire positioned to extend between the vocal cords into the trachea. The endotracheal tube was then placed on the guide wire and advanced over the stylette past the vocal cords. In use, however, it was not always possible to pass the endotracheal tube over the stylette as the endotracheal tube introducer would from time to time get caught on various structures in the pharynx including the opening of the larynx causing trauma to these structures. Additionally, the use of the stylette required the use of two hands to manipulate the endotracheal tube over the stylette when often only one hand was available as the other hand was holding the laryngoscope.
Another proposal provided for a pharyngeal introducer which did not pass between the vocal cords, but sat in the upper pharynx and generally directing the endotracheal tube "towards" the vocal cords and larynx blindly. In use the endotracheal tube was inserted into the pharyngeal introducer and passed inside the introducer whose curvature was designed to guide the endotracheal tube towards the larynx. In use, however, this type of device had a fairly low success rate even in the hands of the most skilled and did not prevent any trauma of the advancing endotracheal tube to the tissue along its way. Furthermore, it cannot be removed when used and thus, the patients mouth continued to be propped open in an exaggerated manner dictated by the diameter of such introducers generally of large diameter.
The endotracheal tube introducer in U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,234 constituted an improvement to the previous devices and referred to a number of devices the particulars of which are incorporated herein by reference. The device in U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,234 while an advance over the prior art, because of its construction still necessitated the use of substantial material at the distal end of the device to surround the endotracheal tube when advancing along the interior of the endotracheal tube introducer. Thus, even if the amount of material at the distal end is wrapped tightly, a substantial amount of material still exists which must be passed between the vocal cords and into the larynx. If such volume of material is packed very tightly, spreading or unwrapping of the material may be difficult as the endotracheal tube is advanced along the interior of the endotracheal tube introducer.
Furthermore, the device in U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,234 is not easily manufactured because of the use of two different types of material which have to be joined and then whose diameter must be minimized by complex wrapping and compression procedures.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved endotracheal tube introducer which minimizes the amount of material and thus, minimizes the amount of material and the diameter of the material at the distal end which must pass between the vocal cords.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a endotracheal tube introducer which is able to control the advancement of the endotracheal tube within the introducer, but employs a minimum amount of material to maintain such control.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide an endotracheal tube introducer of minimal distal cross-sectional area when packed or wrapped for use yet provides minimal resistance to unwrapping or spreading during the advancement of the endotracheal tube through the endotracheal tube introducer thereby resulting in better success rates for intubation.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide such device manufactured from one piece of material (in the preferred form) and which is more easily manufactured.
Further, and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following Summary of the Invention, Drawings, and Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention shown in the drawing.